Since cannabidiol, known better as CBD, went mainstream with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, people in all 50 states have been able to legally purchase cannabis cream for pain relief and relaxation purposes. However, with the massive influx of products in the CBD market, and the relatively high price of CBD-infused topicals, it can be overwhelming to try to figure out which product will give you the best value for your money and which product will actually give you the results you want to see.
More doesn’t equal better
You may be tempted to buy the biggest value-sized bottle of CBD oil or cream that you can find. However, this is not always the smartest strategy. It’s important to try and find out how much CBD is in one unit of the item that you want to purchase. Some products will list the amount of CBD in milligrams (mg), while other brands choose to list the CBD content as a percentage of the contents of the product.
It’s also probably not great to start with a very high concentration of CBD if you are looking to purchase your first CBD oil, because the product can take some getting used to. Every person is different and will have different reactions to starting to use CBD, so starting with a lower concentration can be a smart choice. This is less relevant with topical products such as CBD creams and lotions.
Full spectrum versus isolate
The cannabis plant is made up of many different phytochemicals like terpenes, cannabinoids, and other compounds. Products made with full-spectrum CBD oil contain not only CBD but also the other molecules found in the cannabis plant. This full-spectrum form of CBD oil can also be referred to as whole plant CBD oil.
CBD isolate, on the other hand, is also referred to as pure CBD oil because it does not contain any of the other phytochemicals from the cannabis plant. No other active ingredients are included in this CBD oil; it aims to deliver the therapeutic properties associated with CBD, eliminating the other molecules in the cannabis plant.
Neither of these forms of CBD oil is inherently good or bad as opposed to the other one. CBD isolate used to be known as the standard for most CBD oils. However, recently, people have been touting the benefits that the other phytochemicals found in full-spectrum CBD oil can have, so more full-spectrum oils are becoming popular in the CBD market.
Extraction methods
There are two main extraction methods used to produce CBD oil: supercritical CO2 extraction and ethanol extraction. Other less popular methods, such as steam distillation and oil extraction, are rarely used, but they are far less popular than the other two forms of extraction. Most experts will agree that the best CBD oils (and the products made with the best CBD oils) come from using supercritical CO2 extraction.
This method is performed by using carbon dioxide under high pressure to extract CBD from cannabis while preserving its purity and potency. It also does not involve any toxic substances.
If a brand is not transparent about the extraction methods of their CBD oil or the CBD oil they use, it may be wise to avoid purchasing from them or at least to proceed with caution if you do decide to purchase their products.
Hemp sourcing
Sometimes the CBD products that come with low price tags can also come without a definitive answer as to where their hemp that they use to make their CBD oil is sourced from. In the name of a lower price, these producers may source their hemp from wholesalers, instead of from growers whom they trust and have good relationships with.
If you can, investigate the practices that the growers of the hemp used and make sure they are abstaining from the use of pesticides, GMOs, or other harmful substances.
Final thoughts
Don’t just settle for the lowest price. Make sure your CBD products were made with quality in mind before you buy them.
